Air-drying apparatus.



S. H. KELM.

AIR DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2 19134 LOW 506., Patented June 2,1914.

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ltpeciflcation of Letters Patent. I

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Application filed June 2, 1913. Serial l lo. WLlQB.

I of the drawing; Fig. 2 is a fragmental plan 1 ball whom it may concern Be it known that l, SAMUEL H. Karin, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Salem, in the county of Marion and State of llllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in an apparatus to be used for drying air and removing therefrom all impurities or foreign substances, so that ltd Elli

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the air thus dried or purified may be conducted to any suitable point or device and be employed for any desired purpose; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed. I

The principal object of the invention is to provide an air purifying apparatus, which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, compact in form, strong, durable and eflicient in operation, and so made that its parts may be easily assembled or readil de-.

tached and removed for cleansing an repairs when necessary.

further object of the invention is to provide a distributor for the air, which shall be of such construction as to prevent any back pressure within the container of the apparatus, and which shall cause the air passing through the parts of the distributor to pursue circuitous routes or passages, and to be passed through drying and filtering material, to the end that when the air asses from the distributer it will be absolutely dry and free from foreign substances or impurities.

It further object of the invention is to. provide automatic means for removing fromv view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the distributer embodying the construction illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detached perspectlve view of another form of the distributer, and high is a plan view of the OllStllbllliEI shown in Fig. 3. Like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts: throughout the did'erent views of the drawing.

The reference numeral 6 designates the casing or container of my apparatus, which may be of any suitable size, form and ma, terial, but preferably of metal, and cylindrical in shape as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. .lhe lower portion of the receptacle 6 is open and provided with an annular flange 7, to winch is secured b. means of bolts 8, a bottom or base 9, whic tightly and securely closes the receptacle 6,

its lower end. This bottom or base is provided on its upper surface with araised lug or boss 10, in the upper surface of which is formed a valve seat 11, from which leads an opening 12, which communicates with the cavity of a nipple 13, to which a drain pipe (not shown) may be connected. The boss 10, or raised portion of the base 9, is provided with an upright stud l t, to which is pivotally secured one end of a lever 15, to the other end of which lever is pivotally secured a rod 16, which supports a float ll", of any suitable size, form and material. Pivotally mounted on the lever 15, near its fulcrum ointis a valve 18, which has its lower on formed to correspond with the shape of the valve seat 11, with which it is adapted to cooperate to open and close the outlet 12, throu h the bottom of the receptacle. Extendef downwardly from the valve 18, through the opening 12, is a stern 19, which may have on its lower portion a nut 90, to restrict the upward movement of the said valve or the entire removal of the stein 19, except when. desired. The upper end of the receptacle 6, is provided with ahead 21, which has an opening 22, preferably located in the center thereof for the reception of the neck 23, of the air distributor. The head Ell is also provided with an opening 2 t, with which an outlet pipe 25, for the dried and urififed air communicates, which pipe may end to any desired point or device, so that such air can be need for any desired purpose. Connected to the neck d3, of the air distributer is a pipe 26, which communicates at 1ts other end with a supply .of air (not shown) under pressure.

As is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, the air distributer consists of a conduit 27, to which the neck 23, is secured or preferably made integral therewith as shown. The bore of the conduit 27 is by preference downwardly flared as illustrated in Fig. 1, so that as the air passes from the supply pipe 26, through the neck 23, and conduit 27, into the receptacle 6, it will expand and reduce or prevent too great pressure thereof within the lower portion of the receptacle. The lower portion of the conduit 27, is provided with an external annular flange or floor 28, and at a suitable distance above said flange or floor the conduit 27 is provided with another externajl annular flange 29, which flanges are of suflicient size to fit snugly thecavity of the receptacle 6, in the upperportion of which the distributer is located. Between the flanges 28 and 29 are located a number of upright partitions usually four in number, but I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to. such number as I may employ a greater or less number of said partitions. As there are only four of these partitions shown in the present construction, they will be designated by the numerals 30, 31, 32 and 33, and as shown are radially extended from the conduit 27 to the peripheries of the flanges 28 and 29, which they unite so as. to form several compartments, which compartments are designated by the numerals 34, 35, 36 and 37. These compartments are arranged and constructed so that each alternate one will have passages for the admission of air thereto through the flange 28, and for the butlet of air through the flange 29. In other words, the air is ad mitted to one of the compartments through its lower portion and then passes into the adjacent compartment, and from thence out through the upper portion of the latter. To accomplish this the floor or flange 28 of one of the compartments, say the compartment 34, is provided with a series of perforations 38, and the flange 29, in its portion overlying the compartment 35, is rovided with a series of perforations 39, or the outlet of air. As shown the segments or sections of the flange 29, covering the compartments 34- and 36 are provided with cavities 40, the lower surface or wall of which is furnished with a series of perforations 4.1, which lead from the compartment 34:, to said cavity. This cavity communicates with the compartment 35, by means of a channel 42, formed in the partition 31, which channel also communicates with a cavity 4.3, formed in the section of the flange 28, which forms the floorof the last named compartment. The cavity 43, communicates with the compartment? 35,'by means of a series of perforations 44 which are formed in the upper wall of said cavity. The same arrangement and construction is carried out in the compartments 36 and 37,

and if more than four compartments should be employed the same construction would be employed in alternate compartments.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing is shown another way of constructing the air distributer, which acts on the same principle as that shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, and just above described, eXce t that the paths or passageways throug which the air must travel is not as circuitousas in the former construction. In the construction now under consideration, the distributer as in the other construction consists of a conduit 27 having a neck '23, and provided with horizontal flanges 28 and 29 located at suitable distances apart, one above the other, the space between said flanges being divided into compartments by means of a number of radial partitions usually four in number, two of which only 30 and 31 are shown in the drawing. These partitions are alternately provided with an opening 45, so that the air passing upwardly into one of the compartments can pass through said opening into the adjacent compartment, and then outwardly through the top of the last named compare ment, and so on throughout the series of compartments. For this purpose the floor or bottomof each alternate compartment is provided with perforations 46, and the top or roof of each alternate compartment is provided with perforations 4-7, of any suitable size and number, but in this construction, as well as in the construction shownin Figs. 1, 3 and 5 of the drawing, it is preferred to have the area represented by the perforations in the floors of the compartments and the perforations in the top or ceilings of said compartments equal in area' to each other;-and4=.qual in area to the inlet and outlet each ofv the distributer, in order that there will be a free circulation of air without any back pressurein the lower portion of the receptacle Gor container.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawing, it will be readily understood and clearly seen that by admitting air to the receptacle 6, through the inlet or supply pipe 26, neck 23, and conduit 27, it will pass into the lower portion of said receptacle and thence upwardly through the openings in the lower flange of the distributer or floors of the alternate compartments of the distributer, which compartments are supplied with absorbent or drying material, such as sea moss 48, or other suitable fibrous absorbing and straining substance. From said compartments, when the distrihuter is constructed as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, the air will pass through the openings 41, in the lower walls of the cavities 40, into said cavities, and from thence through the chair nels 42, into the cavities 43, and from thence through. the openings 44, in the compartments adjacent to the first named compartments, and from thence out through the openings 39, into the dry air chamber 49, from which it will be conducted through the outlet pipe 25, to the point of consumption or use. When the construction of the dis tributer illustrated in Fig. 4 is employed, virtually the same operation takes place, except that instead of the air passing through the cavities 40, and 43, and channels 42, it will pass from one compartment through the opening'45, into the adjacent compartment, and from thence through openings 47, in the top of the distributer and into the drying chamber, and from thence out through the outlet pipe. It will be understood that each of the compartments of the distributor is supplied with sea moss, or its equivalent, but for the sake of clearnessin the drawings the illustration of this material has been omitted from most f said compartments.

As there will be considerable air pressure within the receptacle and downwardly against the float 17, the latter is mounted on one end-of the lever,15, which is fulcrumed at its other end and carries near its fulcrum, the valve 18, which controls the outlet for the condensation or water extracted from the air. By this arrangement, the leverage afforded to the float will neutralize theaction of the air pressure. so that the float and valve may be raised by a small quantity of water, to the end, that some of the latter may pass out through the opening 12, after which the valve 18 will be automatically seated. By forming the valve seat 11, in the raised portion 10, of the bottom ofthe receptacle, it is apparent the impurities removed from the air, and scales and the like falling from the walls'of the receptacle and distributer will settle on the bottom of the latter without getting into the valve seat or interfering with the operation of said valve.

While I-have shown and described the air drying apparatus in its preferred embodiment, yet I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction, as various changes therein may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Ilaving thus fully described my invention what I claim new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an air drying apparatus, the combination with a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for air. of an air distributer in said receptacle and communicating with said inletand consisting of a conduit. a pair of spaced apart flanges a series of partitions between said flanges div ling the space therebetween into compartments, air drying material in said compartments, said compartments having alternately passages for the inlet and outlet of air at their lower and upper parts respectively and in communication with one another.

2. In an air drying apparatus, the comhination with a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for air, of an air distributer in said receptacle in communication with said inlet and consisting of a conduit, a pair of spaced apart flanges, a series of partitions between said flanges dividing the space therebetween into compartments, air drying material in said compartments, said compartments having alternately passages forthe inlet and outlet of air at their lower and upper parts respectively and in communication with one another, the aggregate area of said passages being the same as the area of the inlet and the same as the area of the outlet for the air.

3. In an air drying apparatus, the combination with a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for air in its upper portion and an outlet. for water in its lower part, of an automatic valve controlling said water outlet, an air distrihuter in said receptacle in communication with said inlet and consisting of a conduit, a pair of spaced apart flanges, a series of partitions between said flanges dividing the space therebetween into compartments, air drying material in said compartments, said compartments having alternately passages for the inlet and out let of air at their lower and upper parts respectively and in communication with one another. v

4. In an air drying apparatus, the combination with a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for air in its upper portion and an outlet for water in its lower part, of a float controlled valve for said water outlet, an air distributor in said receptacle in communication with said inlet and consisting of a conduit, a pair of spaced apart flanges, a series of partitions between said flanges dividing the space therebetween into compartments, air drying material in said compartments, said compartments having alternately passages for the inlet and outlet of air at their lower and upper parts respectivelyand in communication with one another. a

5. In an air drying apparatus, the combination with a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for air in its upper portion and an outlet for water in its lower part, of an automatic valve controlling said water outlet. an air distributer in saidreceptacl v in communication with said inlet and consisting of a conduit, a pair of spaced apart flanges, a series of partitions between said flanges dividing the space tlierebetween into compartments, air drying material in said (iompartments, the said flangeshaving cavities located alternately at the top and bottom of the alternate compartments said cavities having communication with one another through a channel formed in the partition dividing said compartments and also having openings in their inner walls.

6. 1n an air drying apparatus, the combination with a receptacle having an inlet and an outlet for air, of an air distributer in said receptacle and communicating with said inlet and consisting of a conduit, a pair of spaced apart flanges, a series of partitions between said flanges dividing the space therebetween into compartments and each alternate partition having passageways af-' fording communication between the compartments in pairs, air drying material in said compartments, said compartments hav- SAMUEL H. KELM.

Witnessesi CHAS. C. TILLMAN,

A. S. PHILLIPS. 

